Sealed food container



ay BL 1955 Filed Sept. 50. 1952 ATTUR/VEVS SEALED FOQD CONTAINER Axel E.F. Johnson and Clarence W. Ensminger, Cincinnati, tibia, and Houghton W.Clarke, Evanston, Ill., assignors to Mealpack Corporation, Evanston,llL, a corporation of llllinois Application beptember 3t}, 1952, SerialNo. 312,314

6 Claims. (Cl. 2204) This invention relates to a sealed food container,and more particularly to a device for packing, storing or transporting,and serving, hot meals.

in the serving of prepared hot meals in hospitals, plants, factories, ontrains, and in a large number of other establishments, it is found to beof the utmost importance that the insulating container sections in whichthe hot meal is stored be readily sealable after the packing operationand readily separable when the meal is to be eaten, the closuremechanism occupying a minimum of space and obstruction. While it isessential that the closure means be quickly rendered airtight in aminimum of operations, it is also important that the closure means hemoved readily and with slight eiiort to an unobstructing position inwhich it is held by one portion of the container.

An object of the present invention is to provide a structureaccomplishing the above desired results. A further object is to providea structure in which hollow sections of the container are lockedsecurely in airtight relation by resilient sealing means which permitsquick engagement of. the sealing means with the container and quickdisengagement enabling one of the container portions to be free of thesealing means. A further object is to provide unique sealing means forsecuring together sectional portions of an insulated container whilerequiring minimum of effort on the part of the user. Other specificobjects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds.

T he invention is shown in an illustrative embodiment by theaccompanying drawing, in which Figure l is a vertical sectional view ofa container structure embodying our invention; Fig. 2, an enlarged,sectional and broken detail view; Fig. 3, a sectional View of theresilient band or sealing member which may be employed; Fig. 4, abroken, detail view of a modified form of the invention showing aresilient sealing band applied to container sections in spaced-apartrelation, the sealing band being shown in section; and Fig. 5, a Viewsimilar to Fig. 4 but showing the sealing band in position for unitingthe container sections.

in the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 3, 1i) designates a lower hollowbody section and 11 designates an upper hollow body section, the twosections, when placed together as indicated in Fig. 1, providing aninner foodreceiving chamber 12. in the chamber 12 may be placed a dishll? or any other desired receptacle for hot or cold foods, etc. 7

Each of the sections is provided with an annular rib ltd whichpreferably has an outer, substantially vertical, face or ledge 15. Weprefer to use annular beads 16 spaced outwardly from the shoulders 15,as illustrated in detail in Fig. 2.

The rib i6 is preferably provided on the side opposite shoulder with aninwardly-inclined wall l7, and when the two sections are placedtogether, as shown best in Fig. 2, a substantially l -shaped annularrecess or valley is formed between the ribs 14.

rates Patent The resilient elastic gasket band 18 may be formed of whichwill be described. The band is provided at its upper side with a heavybead 19, on the outer side of which is a rounded shoulder 2b adaptingthe band for' rolling upon the outer surface of the body section 11. Atthe lower side of the band 20 is an elongated bead21 adapted to bereceived within the area between the lower shoulder 15 and bead it? ofsection it). Between beads 19 and 21 is an intermediate pointed bead 22adapted to engage the l-shaped annular recess between shoulder 17 of theadjacent body sections. A groove or recess 23 is provided between eachof the outer beads 19 and 21 and the inner head 22, as illustrated bestin Fig. 3.

it will be understood that the sections it) and 11 may be identical inconstruction and thus may be used interchangeably in different sets or,if desired, the body sections may be formed with different contours.

in the operation of the device, the upper section ll is ordinarilyremoved and the dish 13 is filled with hot foods, etc. The top section11 may then be placed in position, as illustrated in Fig. l, and theelastic gasket band 19 moved into the interlocking or sealing positionillustrated in Pig. 2. In this position, the upper head 19 substantiallyfills the space between the bead 16 and shoulder 15 of section ill,while the lower head 21 substantially fills the space between shoulder15) and bead 16 of lower section lb. The intermediate bead 22 is drawnwithin the ti-shaped recess between shoulder 17 of the two sections, andis effective in maintaining a tight seal at this point. The engagementof the beads 19 and 21 with the surfaces about them further insures anairtight seal.

When it is desired to break the seal, the lower bead portion 21 isrolled upwardly, as illustrated in Fig. l, and the rounded uppershoulder 29 of band 18 serves as a means for rocking the band uponitself to the position shown in dotted lines above the upper head 16. Inthe latter position, the band 18 is held against removal by its tightengagement with the casing of the upper shell 11 and is supportedfurther by the head 16 therebelow. It thus occupies an unobstructingposition and at the same time is ready for replacement upon thecontainer when the two sections are again who joined. By having theouter surface of the gasket band member 18 rounded, the rocking actionof the band in moving from and to scaling positions is facilitated andenables these operations to be carried on with facility.

in the opening operation, the upper bead 16 on member it serves toengage the upper rounded edge of the bead lb and initiates the rollingmovement when one edge of the band 18 is lifted, as illustrated in Fig.1.

After the hot food has been introduced into vessel 13 and the twosections sealed together by means of the band lb, a partial vacuum isformed within the chamber 12 by the condensation of vapors within thechamber. It is found that the gasket band 18 is effective in retainingthis vacuum, which further aids in holding the two sections it and iifirmly together. When the band 13 is raised short distance, asillustrated in Fig. 1, the vacuum within the container is broken and theremaining operation of rolling the band upon itself to the upperposition shown in dotted lines is rendered easy. it will be understoodthat, instead of rolling the band upwardly upon member ill, the elasticband may be rolled downwardly upon the lower body section lit, the lowerbead 16 of member lb serving to hold the lower bead 21 of the elasticband it? to produce the rolling action already described.

in the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, the elastic band lbmay, if desired, be swung outwardly, as

Fatented May 31, 1955 illustrated at the right-hand side of Fig. 1 topermit disengagement of the upper and lower sections and then allowed tomove backwardly to a depending position. Thus, with this operation, theresilient band 18 will be kept in a depending position and will not berolled to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

In the modification shown in Figs. 4 and 5, we employ a resilient sealband or gasket 24 having at its top an inwardly-extending shoulderportion 25 received between the head 16 and the shoulder 15 of thesection 11. The gasket is provided with an'annular recess 26 adapted toreceive the rib 14 and with a second annular recess 27 7 adapted toreceive the shoulder 14- of the lower section 10,

as shown more clearly in Fig. 5. The gasket is provided with a dependingarrow-point portion 28 which normally assumes the position shown in Fig.4 and bears against the inclined upper surface of the rib 14 of section10, when the container sections are in spaced-apart relation, as shownin Fig. 4. When the upper section, however, is pressed downwardly, thelower tip portion 28 moves outwardly and the rib 14 of lower section 10snaps into the recess 27, as illustrated in Fig. 5. At the same time,this operation causes the lower pointed portion 28 to swing outwardly sothat it serves as a handle or grip to facilitate easy separation of thesections when this is desired. To disassemble the containers after theyhave been locked together, as illustrated in Fig. 5, the resilient bandor gasket is lifted slightly on the lower edge to free the rib 14 of thelower section 10 and the upper section or cover 11 may lifted off,carrying with it the gasket 24.

The gasket 24 has a central, inwardly-extending V portion 29 which tendsto fill the !-shaped recess between ribs 14 of the two sections 10 and11, as illustrated more clearly in Fig. 5.

In each of the modifications illustrated, the sealing band or gasket isprovided with a shoulder firmly anchored upon one of the containersections between the bead and rib thereof, while the lower portion ofthe band may be swung outwardly for freeing the sections, the gasketsproviding a seal between the ribs of the two sections when the sectionsare united by the band. The resilient gaskets or hands also servenormally to support the two sections in spaced-apart relation when onesection is placed upon the other so that the lower end of the bandattached to the cover or upper section rests upon the rib of the sectionbelow. Downward pressure of the upper section causes the head orrib-engaging portions of the lower portion of the band to form aninterlock with portions of the lower section so as to lock the twosections together.

While in the foregoing specification we have shown a specific structureand described it in considerable detail for the purpose of illustratingan embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that such detailsof structure may be varied widely by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit of our invention.

We claim:

1. In a device of the character set forth, a pair of complementaryhollow body sections arranged to be secured together to provide a sealedcompartment adapted for receiving food therein, each of said sectionshaving an outwardly extending rib near the meeting surfaces thereof, theadjacent facing surfaces of said ribs diverging outwardly and from eachother to define a generally V-shaped groove therebetween when thesections are tothereof and along its inner side an outwardly anddownwardly inclined surface adapted, when the band is in position uponthe upper section, to slidingly engage the rib gether, and an elasticgasket band having inwardly facing grooves alignable with said ribs forreceiving the same of the lower section when the sections are pressedtogether for spreading the band and when said sections are together, toprovide a hand area spaced from the lower section.

2. in a structure of the character described, a pair of insulated,complementary hollow body sections arranged to be secured together toprovide a heat-insulated compartment adapted to receive food therein,each of said sections being equipped with an outwardly extending,substantially endless rib adjacent the meeting surfaces thereof, said.ribs being dimensioned and arranged to define, when the sections aretogether, an outwardly facing groove, and an elastic gasket band havinginwardly facing grooves alignable with said ribs for receiving the sametherein and an inwardly extending bead alignable with and beingreceivable within said outwardly facing groove, said band having at thelower portion thereof and along its inner side an outwardly anddownwardly inclined surface adapted, when the band is in position uponthe upper section, to slidingly engage the rib of the lower section whenthe sections are pressed together for spreading the band, and when thesaid sections are together, to provide a hand area spaced from the lowersection.

3. The structure of claim 2 in which said outwardly facing groove isgenerally V-shaped, and in which said inwardly extending head isgenerally V-shaped.

4. In a device of the character set forth, a pair of complementary,generally cylindrical hollow body sections arranged to be securedtogether to provide a sealed compartment adapted to receive foodtherein, each of said sections being equipped with an outwardlyextending, endless circumferential rib adjacent the meeting surfacesthereof, said ribs being dimensioned and arranged to define, when thesections are together, an outwardly facing groove, and an endlesselastic gasket band having inwardly facing grooves alignable with saidribs for receiving the same therein and an inwardly extending beadalignable Within said outwardly facing groove, said band having at thelower portion thereof and along its'inner side an outwardly anddownwardly inclined surface.

5. In a device for transporting and serving heated foods, a pair ofheat-insulated, hollow complementary body sections adapted to be broughttogether to provide a heat-insulated compartment for receiving heatedfoods therein, means for sealingly securing said sections togethercomprising an outwardly extending peripheral rib provided by each ofsaid sections adjacent the meeting surfaces thereof, the ribs beingoriented and arranged to define therebetween, when said sections arebrought together, an outwardly facing groove, and an endless elasticgasket band having spaced, inwardly facing grooves and an inwardlyextending bead therebetween, said inwardly facing grooves beingalignable with said ribs for snugly receiving the same and said headbeing alignable with said outwardly facing groove and dimensioned to besnugly received therein, whereby said elastic band is operative tosealingly secure said sections together with a sealing lock increasingin magnitude as heated food within said compartment cools.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein said outwardly facing groove isV-shaped, and in which said head is V- shaped whereby said bead iswedgable within the ou wardly facing groove.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS241,204 Fry, Jr. May 10, 1881 281,556 Richardson July 1'7, 18831,589,588 Dick June 22, 1926 1,711,115 Johnson Apr. 30, 1929 1,784,516Fairbanks Dec. 9, 1930 2,183,049 I Shofner, Jr. Dec. 12, 1939 2,326,414Thompson Aug. 10, 1943 2,412,024 Young Dec. 3, 1946

